Children of Pastors Stories from West Timor/Indonesia

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

Indonesia

Stories of Pastors’ Children who have been supported by this project of the Evangelical Protestant Church of Timor

To learn more about this project or to contribute, click here: http://globalministries.org/sasia/projects/scholarships-for-children.html

I am the youngest in my family of five in West Timor. It’s a mountainous area and sometimes access by road can be difficult. My mother died when I was small and my father looked after us until he died. He was a minister. Since my father died, my brothers and sisters have all been split up, the older ones going to find work in the city, while one sister and I who are still at school, have been adopted by two different families. Each morning, Monday to Saturday, I go to school. When I come home I help out with chores and mind a small shop. In my free time I like to play soccer and volleyball. I enjoy school and would really like to become a police officer.

Ama

I live in a small town in West Timor. I am now beginning my third year of elementary school and when I grow up I would like to be a police woman. My daddy was a minister and now I live with my grandmother. I have no brothers or sisters. After school my friends and I like to play hide and go seek and hopscotch.

Anika

I am 11 years old and am in my last year of elementary school. I like school and my favorite subject is science and technology. I’m not really sure yet what I would like to do when I grow up. My dad died last year. He was a minister in West Timor. Now I live with my mom and sister. After school I help with chores at home and after that I like to play soccer or army with my friends.

Deke

I am 9 years old. After my father died in 2005, I went to live with my grandmother and sister. My youngest sister still lives with my mom. I enjoy going to Sunday school each week. I have many friends and when I have some free time after school I like to play football, or marbles.

Immanuel

I attend elementary school. I live in a little village which is quite isolated in the mountains. I have two brothers and one sister and we live with our dad. I am the youngest and every day when I come home from school I like to play soccer. My mom died when I was in my first year of elementary school and now we live with our dad in a simple house beside the church. My dad is a minister.

Kaleb

I live in a village in the mountains which has a natural spring which provides water for the whole village. Both my parents died and now I live with my uncle and aunt. My mother died when I was small and my father just recently. He served as a minister. I am now in my first year of high school and I would like to become a minister like my dad. I don’t have many hobbies but I love to sing. In our church there are many opportunities to take part in singing on Sunday mornings.

Maria

I live in a simple home with my mom. In front of our house is a river and some rice fields. I have many friends. After school we play together. Since my daddy died, my brother and sister went to live with my grandmother. At school I am learning to read and write. Our teacher is often cross with us when we make mistakes. The older pupils in our school have a proper classroom, but ours is still very simple. I don’t know yet what I want to do when I grow up.

Marsalina

I am the youngest in my family of three children and for one month now I have been living with my aunt. I used to live in a village where my father was a church minister. He died and since then I had to move so my mom could work and I could go to school. My mom buys petrol from the gas station and resells it in bottles along the road. My two older brothers are both at university where one is studying to be a pastor and one wants to be a teacher. I have been attending my new school for about a month now but already have many new friends. I like social science best. When I come home sometimes I swim in a nearby pool and sometimes I play soccer.

Randy